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barf

(US, colloquial) To vomit.

bɑːfCurrent215 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
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3 definitions
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10 citations · last seen May 2026

Seen in the wild

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#1·Apr 26, 2026

(US, colloquial) To vomit.

The program barfed as a result of the invalid input.
For parents

"barf" means: To vomit.. This is informal slang, common in casual speech, texting and social media, but not appropriate for school work, applications or professional settings. There is no real cause for concern in itself; it is everyday peer vocabulary. If your child uses it, a light comment about audience and register is usually enough — no need to escalate. Context, more than the word, tells you whether to follow up.

For ESL learners

"barf" means: To vomit.. Register: informal slang, fine in casual conversation, texting and social media but not in academic essays, business writing or formal speech. Note the regional or dialect label (US) — usage may sound odd outside that variety. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in a comparable context.

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#2·Apr 26, 2026

(computing, slang, intransitive, by extension) Of a system: to fail.

The program barfed as a result of the invalid input.
Heard in the wild
  • “Going to sternly lecture my cat to not chew on the plants and barf on the rug, that ought to clear things up.”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “The smell would make me barf...”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “what isssssss time made of #art but foolhardy messes! #barf”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “The scarf and barf is the bane of our existence with our 10 fur babies. JFC. The barf.”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “Pizza the Hut!Yogurt!Barf!Dot Matrix!Lone Star!Dark Helmet!A Druish Princess!”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
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#3·Apr 26, 2026

(US, colloquial) Vomit.

See it in action
  • “and then getting your glasses on and finding a third pile of barf on the way to the bathroom, which you needed your glasses for because it blended in with the carpet so well. It's gonna be a great day today, i can tell.”

Origin: . Probably of imitative origin. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Cluster: general
Heard in the wild
  • “I hope Spaceballs 2 writes Barf out by saying he went to live on a farm”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “Barf-ly is not a word, Andy. #missionhill”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “and then getting your glasses on and finding a third pile of barf on the way to the bathroom, which you needed your glasses for because it blended in with the carpet so well. It's gonna be a great day today, i can tell.”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “I don't think you should be allowed to barf out your opinions publicly on the internet until you're like, 38”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “Oh fucking barf. The Met Gala isn’t a bastion for the arts anymore. It has nothing to do with whether or not fashion is art (it is). The issue is that this degree of opulence is not art. It’s pornography.”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
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For specific readers

"barf" means: To vomit.. This is informal slang, common in casual speech, texting and social media, but not appropriate for school work, applications or professional settings. There is no real cause for concern in itself; it is everyday peer vocabulary. If your child uses it, a light comment about audience and register is usually enough — no need to escalate. Context, more than the word, tells you whether to follow up.

Why is this section here?

Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.

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